Arnavutköy-Halkalı Metro Line Nears Completion: Countdown to Opening Begins
Istanbul, 18 May 2026 – The Arnavutköy-Halkalı section of the Halkalı-Istanbul Airport-Gayrettepe Metro Line is in its final stages of construction, with testing and commissioning activities almost complete. Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, announced that the line is on the verge of opening, marking a significant milestone for Istanbul’s public transportation network.
Progress on the Halkalı-Istanbul Airport-Gayrettepe Metro Project
Minister Uraloğlu provided a written statement regarding the ongoing work on the Arnavutköy-Halkalı Line, which is the final segment of the larger Halkalı-Istanbul Airport-Gayrettepe Metro Project. The project was initially planned in two main sections: the Gayrettepe-Istanbul Airport Metro Line and the Istanbul Airport-Halkalı Metro Line.
Key sections of the project have already been inaugurated:
- Kağıthane-Istanbul Airport section: Opened on January 22, 2023.
- Kağıthane-Gayrettepe section: Opened on January 29, 2024.
- Cargo Terminal-Arnavutköy Hospital section (14 km): Commissioned on March 19, 2024.
These phased openings have progressively expanded Istanbul’s metro network, enhancing connectivity to the new Istanbul Airport.
Final Touches on the 17.5-Kilometer Arnavutköy-Halkalı Line
Minister Uraloğlu stated that work on the 17.5-kilometer Arnavutköy-Halkalı section is rapidly approaching its conclusion. “We have completed the fine finishing works at the stations, and we are currently putting the final touches on the landscaping and environmental arrangements. We are also nearing the end of the testing and commissioning phases,” he explained.
Once this final section is operational, the entire Halkalı-Istanbul Airport-Gayrettepe Metro Project will form a continuous, underground metro line. This 69-kilometer ring line will be one of Turkey’s longest and fastest metro lines, and among the longest globally, operating entirely underground.
Significant Reduction in Travel Times Across Istanbul
The full operation of the line is expected to bring substantial reductions in travel times and provide crucial integrations with other major metro and Marmaray lines. These integrations will be established at several key stations:
- Vezneciler-Sultangazi-Fenertepe Metro: Integration at Fenertepe station.
- Bakırköy-Kirazlı-Başakşehir-Kayaşehir Metro: Integration at Kayaşehir station.
- Ataköy-İkitelli-Olimpiyat Metro: Integration at Olimpiyatköy station.
- Kabataş-Mecidiyeköy-Mahmutbey-Bahçeşehir-Esenyurt Metro: Integration at Halkalı Stadı station.
- Yenikapı-Kirazlı-Halkalı Metro and MARMARAY: Integration at Halkalı station.
Thanks to these integrations, travel times will be dramatically shortened:
- Halkalı-Istanbul Airport: Reduced to 30 minutes.
- Halkalı-Göktürk: Reduced to 43 minutes.
- Halkalı-Kağıthane: Reduced to 54 minutes.
- Halkalı-Gayrettepe: Reduced to 57 minutes.
- Küçükçekmece-Kemerburgaz: Reduced to 50 minutes.
- Başakşehir (Metrokent)-Kağıthane: Reduced to 48 minutes.
The completion of the Arnavutköy-Halkalı section will not only finalize this ambitious project but also significantly enhance the efficiency and reach of Istanbul’s public transportation, benefiting millions of daily commuters and travelers.
Source: DHA
